Progress Over Perfection: Three Ways to be Healthy in the New Year

1/29/17

It’s close to the end of January and I’m sharing a bit of where I am on my own journey to getting fit after five pregnancies in eight years.

My health has taken a backseat to raising babies, starting a business, and writing this blog. It’s still quite busy with our three kids, but one of my goals this year is prioritizing my time differently and finding more balance. You can read more about all my goals for this year here.

Even though I joke about how much I dislike it, I really do love to exercise. Workouts help me feel less anxious and they put me in a positive frame of mind. I love to feel strong and fit, which makes me feel more confident.

And, even though I might complain bitterly at the moment because of the distraction, I even love when our kids watch Tom and I work out because they see how important it is to be healthy and treat our bodies with respect.

I’m doing three simple things to get back in shape mentally and physically this year.

1. Self-care – I am making it a priority this year take better care of myself. Three ways I’m doing that every day: to get enough sleep, to wake up and have some quiet time to myself every morning, and to find things that recharge me and DO THEM EVERY DAY. You can read more about those five things here.

2. Clean eating – I have tried many a fad diet to shed weight, but what I keep coming back to every time I need to get fit is plain and simple: whole foods. It’s simple and when I make it a habit to eat this way 80% of the time, it works. I find that everyone’s body will respond differently to foods, so what works for me specifically might not work for everyone.

I like to pretty much eat the same thing every day, so it’s even easier: eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, salad or soup with protein for lunch, and protein with veggies and a complex carb for dinner. Snacks are either fruit, veggies, nuts or yogurt. Eating this way makes me feel mentally and physically better.

3. At home workouts – We used to have a gym membership that I loved using when the boys were little, but after we had Isla, it just became more of a pain to get everyone there, and I tend to hibernate and not want to drive there in the cold and snow at 6 am in the winter.

I bought two at-home workouts from Beachbody that I am actually loving: 21 Day Fix and Pi-Yo. I can roll out of bed, get in a 30-minute workout and a shower and still be here to help get the kids off to school in the time it used to take me to drive back and forth to the gym. The workouts are challenging and focus on full body movements to make the most of my time and burn mega calories.

It’s been close to a month with this new routine, and I would say it’s working pretty well. Some days are harder than others, but my focus is on progress not perfection.

Tom saw how much happier I have been working out and began his own workouts, which I love because it’s fun to have a workout partner and we keep each other motivated.

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